How to Create Item Categories
Item categories help you organize your auction items and make it easier for bidders to browse and find what they want.
CharityAuctions lets you create custom categories, assign them to items, and control how they appear in your online and printed catalogs.
Creating Item Categories
Categories are user-defined with no pre-set options, so you can organize items however works best for your event—for example: Trips, Gift Baskets, Experiences, or Live Auction.
To create and manage item categories:
- Open your auction dashboard
- In the left navigation menu, click Item Management
- Select Item Categories (or the categories section)
- Add a new category with a name and optional description
- Configure display settings for each category
Assigning Categories to Items
When adding or editing items, you assign each item to a category.
To assign a category to an item:
- Go to Item Management > Item Catalog
- Click Add Item or edit an existing item
- Locate the Category field
- Select or enter the category for that item
- Save the item
Items can belong to only one category at a time.
Benefits of Item Categories
Categories help you:
- Organize and display groups of items on your event website
- Group items when printing an auction catalog
- Allow guests to filter items using the "Show me..." dropdown
- Control which categories appear in online and printed catalogs
Category Management Options
Once categories are created, you can control:
- Category name and description
- Online catalog visibility — whether items in the category display in the online catalog
- Printed catalog visibility — whether items in the category appear in printed catalogs
- Sort order — the order in which categories appear
- Filter visibility — whether the category appears in the bidders' filter dropdown
Adjust these settings based on how you want your auction structured and presented.
Best Practices
For the best use of item categories:
- Create categories before adding many items
- Use clear, consistent naming (e.g., "Live Auction," "Silent Auction," "Experiences")
- Keep the number of categories manageable so bidders can easily browse
- Review sort order to highlight high-value or popular categories
- Use categories that match how your event is organized (e.g., by item type, value, or time block)
If you need help setting up item categories, Contact Support is always available to assist.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I create item categories?
Item categories are created and managed under Item Management in your auction dashboard.
Can I use custom category names?
Yes. Categories are user-defined with no pre-set options, so you can create any categories that fit your event.
How do I assign a category to an item?
When adding or editing an item in Item Catalog, select or enter the category in the Category field.
Can bidders filter items by category?
Yes. Bidders can use the Show me dropdown to filter items by category.
Can I control whether categories appear in printed catalogs?
Yes. You can configure whether each category displays in online catalogs, printed catalogs, or both.
Related articles
- Adding and Managing Sponsors
Add and manage sponsors from Item Management > Sponsor Logos. Upload logo images or enter sponsor names, choose display locations, and organize by sponsorship level.
- Adding Auction Items in Bulk
Use the bulk upload in Item Catalog to import many items at once. Download the sample template, fill in your items row by row, then upload. Use Bulk Edit for mass updates after import.
- Can I Automate or Bulk Upload Images to My Auction?
CharityAuctions does not support bulk or automated image uploads. Images must be added individually to each item. Learn the fastest way to add photos—using your mobile phone.
- How do I add an item to my auction?
Go to Item Management > Item Catalog and click Add Item. Enter item name, description, starting bid, fair market value, category, and optional images.
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